7 things to consider when planning a rebrand

Learn the secrets behind a successful rebrand with this list of seven tips.

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The prospect of a company rebrand can fill some marketers with hope and the opportunity to start afresh, but it can also send others running to the hills with the thought of spiralling budgets and internal disagreements over colours and wording. If you’re tasked with a rebrand, we've put together the main areas you should consider before briefing your design team.

01. Check out your competitors

This is especially important if you are operating within a saturated market, as you want to stand out. Start by collecting together the logos of your competitors; often you find that certain industries follow similar brand styles. Don’t be afraid to break the mould and step away from what is the “done thing” in order to make your organisation stand out and show that you are different. Collecting these competitor logos can help to show the design team exactly what you don’t want and where your brand fits into the overall landscape.

This process will also help you when you are unveiling your new branding internally and securing buy-in from senior teams and board members, especially if you’ve chosen a particularly daring final design!

02. Understand who is creating your design

If it is an internal department, will they be fresh and innovative enough to create what you need? If it is an external brand agency, do they fully understand your brand, key messages and who your target market is? Depending on who is creating your design will affect the way that you brief them so it may be good to have an initial meeting to understand everything they need to know before giving a full brief for the project.

03. Take stock of everything that will be rebranded

Before starting to brief your team, you will need to know how many variations of the logo will be required and where they will be used. From brochures to business cards to email signatures and even on your company vehicles, you may need several variations and sizes to meet your needs. You may also need to consider where else you use your logo online -on your website and social media channels, for example. It will be more time efficient and cost-effective to provide your design team with all the information needed upfront and save to-ing and fro-ing and last minute alterations.

04. Invest in typography

Typography has a proven history of making a brand stand out

The font you use can become as iconic as the brand logo. Think of Coca Cola, Disney and even the simple style of John Lewis and it is easy to see how fonts can be as unique as fingerprints. Typography is an art form in itself but unfortunately is often overlooked in modern design. For something truly unique enlist a typography specialist.

05. Avoid using stock images where possible

If you’re preparing marketing collateral and websites, nothing says bland and boring like stock images and photography. If possible enlist the help of a graphic designer to create bespoke designs, so that you have something that is individual and unique to yourselves.

06. Are there things you can keep?

Often marketers read “rebrand” as creating something completely new and different, however it can be more of a brand evolution. If you have a particularly successful and established brand, it can be foolish to get rid of particular aspects of your branding which customers and stakeholders are fond of. This can especially be the case with historic and heritage brands. Building a brand is about building the strongest image of your company and it could be that holding onto an iconic brand image, a particular colour or a slogan is the best way of retaining your brand’s identity at the same time as moving it into the present day.

07. Be bold

There are so many logos and brands out there that it is easy to get lost in what is expected and what is conventional. The most important purpose for branding is to make your company recognisable and memorable so it is vital that you are bold and exciting with your branding.